A European grant has secured the future of Grimsby fish market, reports BBC News.

The European Fisheries Fund has awarded the historic fish market £605,000 which will be spent on the modernisation of the building. Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises has matched the grant, giving the fish market a grand total of £1.2 million to spend.

Image source

Originally, £4 million of funding had been secured, but this has since been scaled back by the government.

Improvements proposed for the market, which was opened in 1995, include new building cladding, plus a new ceiling, air-lock doors and the latest temperature control systems. They will also receive the latest weighing and grading machines.

Martyn Boyers, Chief Executive, said to This Is Grimsby: “This work is long overdue and will safeguard existing jobs in the port. This is a quarter of the original bid, but we are desperate to do something to make improvements.”

Original building

The building was opened in 1995 and this funding will ensure that the market can gain British Retail Consortium accreditation which allows them to protect their fish supply business and partner with large retailers.

Work should commence in early June with completion aimed for Spring 2012, though the biggest challenge, according to Fish Update, will be for the market to function as usual while the revamp takes place. Boyers allayed disruption fears, saying: “I am confident we will be able to deal with that.”